The ASM Kadner Institute for Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Scientists in Preparation for Careers in Microbiology is a five-year initiative to (1) empower graduate students and postdoctoral scientists with skills necessary to become excellent research scientists and teachers and (2) provide information about diverse career opportunities and the resources and skills needed to pursue these opportunities. The program's overall goal is to provide up to 24 graduate students and postdoctoral scientists in the microbiological sciences annually with intensive and closely guided instruction and mentoring in five areas important for selecting and preparing for a career as a microbiologist. Recognizing that students have limited and inconsistent training in grant preparation, communications, teaching and mentoring, career planning, and ethics, the ASM Committee on Graduate and Postdoctoral Education founded the ASM Kadner Institute for Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Scientists in Preparation for Careers in Microbiology to focus on these career aspects. The specific aims of the Institute are to help participants: 1. Prepare a well-organized research proposal that articulates clearly the specific aims of their project and a plan to address the problem. 2. Deliver a clear and concise oral presentation of their research project to the scientific community. 3. Examine a number of career opportunities and pathways available to microbiologists-in-training and plan their own pathway. 4. Incorporate effective teaching and mentoring strategies to meet the educational needs of microbiology students in a variety of different settings. 5. Recognize ethical implications regarding scientific research as encountered by the scientific community. Kadner participants who aspire to become career microbiologists and scientists represent a broad spectrum of subdisciplines, including microbial structure and physiology, microbial genetics, clinical microbiology, medical microbiology, applied and environmental microbiology, virology, immunology, and public health. Microbiology research advances the sciences as a vehicle for understanding basic life processes and promoting knowledge gained for improved public health as well as economic and environmental well-being.